The present invention relates to synchronized numerical and video data imaging and, more particularly, to simultaneous gathering, synchronization, and subsequent retrieval of video and numerical data to enable simultaneous display of the video and the numerical data along a common time line. A specific embodiment of the present invention relates to the concept of synchronizing video and numerical data sensed from a cone calorimeter.
Churney et al., "A Multi-kilogram Capacity Calorimeter for Heterogeneous Materials," describe a large capacity calorimeter which includes a numerical or quantitative data acquisition system and a television camera coupled to a combustion viewing window. The quantitative data gathered by the acquisition system is not, however, synchronized with the video data gathered by the television camera. Rather, the television camera is merely coupled to a video monitor/recorder to permit viewing/recording of the video image and the quantitative data acquisition system is merely operative to monitor and record experimental data independent of the viewing/recording via the television camera. Churney et al. do not provide any means by which the video image of the combustion and the experimental data may be synchronized and subsequently retrieved to enable simultaneous display of the video data and the experimental quantitative data at a single point along an experimental time line.
An automated interactive record system has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,470, to Trautman. Trautman teaches a record system wherein raw data is organized in chronological fashion as data events along a time line, and wherein image data from a video camera is digitized by a frame grabber, stored on a system disk, associated with specific data events, and displayed relative to the time line as symbols. In this manner, the data events, i.e., numerical/quantitative data, and the data objects, i.e., a video image, are displayed relative to one another along the same time line. However, according to the teachings of the '470 patent, the video image is merely retrievable as an object correlated with a distinct point along the time line. The '470 patent does not suggest a means by which the video image and the raw data may be simultaneously gathered, synchronized, and subsequently retrieved to enable simultaneous display of the video and the numerical data along the time line. Further, according to the teachings of the '470 patent, video images corresponding to distinct points along a time line may not be viewed continuously. Rather, a data object associated with a distinct point along the time line must be manually activated to enable visual display of the data object. The system of the '470 patent does not enable automatic and continuous collection and display of data objects.
Accordingly, there is a need for a numerical data and video data acquisition system which provides for simultaneous gathering, synchronization, and retrieval of video and numerical data to enable simultaneous display of the video and the numerical data along a common time line.